Does This Sound Like You?

• Sometimes, all of a sudden, I feel like the event is happening over again. I never know when this will occur.
• I have nightmares and bad memories of the terrifying event.
• I stay away from places that remind me of the event.
• I jump and feel very upset when something happens without warning.
• I have a hard time trusting or feeling close to other people.
• I get mad very easily.
• I feel guilty because others died and I lived.
• I have trouble sleeping and my muscles are tense.

If so, you might have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Events that might cause PTSD include war, rape, physical abuse, an airplane crash, car crash or other horrific event. For most people, PTSD starts about three months after the event. However, sometimes signs of PTSD show up years later. PTSD can happen to anyone, even children.

You can get PTSD after you have been:

• Raped or sexually abused
• Hit or harmed by someone in your family
• A victim of a violent crime
• In an airplane or car crash
• In a hurricane, tornado, or fire
• In a war,
• In an event where you thought you might be killed, or
• After you have seen any of these events.

If you have PTSD, you often have nightmares or scary thoughts about the experience you went through. You try to stay away from anything that reminds you of your experience.

You may feel angry and unable to trust or care about other people. You may always be on the lookout for danger. You can feel very upset when something happens suddenly or without warning.

Below is the help you need.